Got SERIOUS problem with Ensoniq EPS 16. Anyone who can help

Hi everyone.

I can't F believe what's happening with my ensoniq sampler. Let me just copy what I've wrote on facebook group 5 min ago:

"Hi. Look, I got very serious problem with my EPS 16+ and got no clue what's the reason. The scenario is as follows: suddenly the main screen gets crazy without any reason - random indicatior lights (I mean seq, song, macro etc.) start to blink and finally it gets stuck with only EDIT indicator light on. What the hell? I got it sync with mpc via midi handshake and after it gets stuck the sound still gets out of ensoniq but can't do anything on it - it doesn't react on buttons, sliders, anything. What's more: it just happens by itself no matter if it's just been switched on or been running for hours. If any of You got an idea what the F is wrong - hit me up. Drives me mad."

In fact it not only drives me mad but kills me - I'm at the end of a serious project and got most of beats based on ensoniq sounds. Don't want to think what'll happen if it's just broke down by itself...

If any of You got clue, please, leave feedback. I need to deal with it as soon as possible.

Cheers.

And an additional question because it makes me wonder: is it possible that midi connection cause such a problem? I mean: kind of uncontrolled information sending between both samplers? Possibly a conflict because of midi handshake connection?

I'm asking, because I've just disconnected midi cables from ensoniq and no problem at all, nothing strange happens.

Sorry to bother You if it's something obvious, but I want to make it clear. The issue is very important for me.

Maybe a MIDI loop.

What are you trying to do with the connection from the EPS to the MPC, just playback sequences from the MPC to the EPS, with the EPS as a MIDI sound module, use the EPS as a MIDI keyboard to enter MIDI into the MPC sequencer, both, etc.?

Does it work if you just plug the MIDI out from the MPC to the MIDI in of the EPS

Are you connecting the MIDI out from the EPS to the MPC, not the MIDI thru?

Has it been working properly with the MPC previously?

Maybe look at the Transmit On setting in the Edit/System-MIDI page, make sure it is not set to Inst Chan, if it is, try setting it to Local or something else.

SimonInAustralia wrote:Maybe a MIDI loop.

What are you trying to do with the connection from the EPS to the MPC, just playback sequences from the MPC to the EPS, with the EPS as a MIDI sound module, use the EPS as a MIDI keyboard to enter MIDI into the MPC sequencer, both, etc.?

Does it work if you just plug the MIDI out from the MPC to the MIDI in of the EPS

Are you connecting the MIDI out from the EPS to the MPC, not the MIDI thru?

Has it been working properly with the MPC previously?

Maybe look at the Transmit On setting in the Edit/System-MIDI page, make sure it is not set to Inst Chan, if it is, try setting it to Local or something else.

Sorry for the delay, but I wasn't home for couple of days.

Simon, what I want to do with both samplers: I want to sequence on mpc the sounds played on ensoniq. Want to use mpc mainly for drums samples and additional samples but chords, basslines, melody etc. on ensoniq.

The samplers are connected in the 'midi handshake mode' and I suppose that's what's up because when I unplugged the cables ensoniq works just fine. The cables run from MIDI IN to MIDI OUT both ways. Not using MIDI THRU.

And yes, the connection worked fine before and it collapsed without any reason.

I don't know what a 'MIDI handshake mode' is.

If you are not sending any MIDI data from the EPS16+ into the MPC, you don't need to connect the EPS MIDI output to the MPC MIDI input.

Is the EPS a rack unit or a keyboard? If it is a rack unit, why do you need to connect the EPS MIDI output to the MPC MIDI input? If it is a keyboard, then yes, you would want the MIDI connection both ways.

Have you tried it with only a single MIDI cable, connecting the MPC MIDI output to the EPS MIDI input?

I should have written MIDI handshake CONNECTION, sory. 'MIDI hanshake' means connection in both direction with two cables from both samplers (in - out, out - in).

My Ensoniq is the keyboard version.

Yeah, mate, I tried with only one cable exactly how You wrote but mpc doesn't play sounds which were played on ensoniq keys during recording on mpc.

However nothing strange happens when I got only one cable connection.


E: Question: Is the option 'ACTIVE TRACK RECEIVE CHANNEL: ALL or 1-16' crucial in this case? I mean the MIDI setting in MPC 3K. I got it set on ALL.

Sounds like a MIDI loop.

No idea really myself, hopefully someone with an EPS16+ can help.

From looking at the EPS16+ manual, there seems to be a mode that retransmits incoming MIDI through the MIDI out port, I would check that to make sure that it isn't causing a MIDI loop.

EPS-16 PLUS Musician's Manual Section 2—System Control

• When set to INST CHAN, each of the eight EPS-16 PLUS instruments will send on its own MIDI channel (or not at all, if assigned LOCAL status). Each instrument will have its own MIDI program number and its own PRESSURE setting.

When TRANSMIT ON=INST CHAN and the MIDI IN MODE=POLY, the EPS-16 PLUS goes into Smart Transmit mode and will retransmit incoming single channel MIDI data multi-timbrally over up to eight independent MIDI channels, based on the parameter settings on the EDIT/Instrument page. See "Smart Transmit" in Section 3—Instruments and Banks for complete details.

This isnt going to help much, but i use mpc 2000 and an eps 16+ synced together as well and have never had an issue such as yours. But i do think on the MP u should have the active track not set to all but just the midi channel of the eps instrument that u want to sequence. What is ure midi configuration on the eps?

And a possible workaround if need b would be just to sync both clocks together and sequence what u need from the eps on the eps.

Try to give me more details about the pblm ie: are these recorded sequences that u r trying to play back, does the pblm occur immediately when u connect the midi cables, have u tried changing the midi configuration, how many instruments(eps) do u have playing at once, are u using lots of modulators, does the sequence strt playing and then at a specific point screw up, are the instruments properly assigned to different midi channels etc...

Thanks Simon, I'll take I look at those options as well.

dr4track:

The details of MIDI configuration on both samplers:

MPC:

-Active Track Receive Channel: ALL
-Local Mode: ON
-Soft Thru: OFF
-Assign NOTE VAR slider to controller: 1
-Convert Sustain pedal to duration: OFF
- MIDI VOLUME: RECEIVE
- Prog Change: IGNORE
- Send MMC: OFF
- MIDI Out: A (got my cable connected to the A slot)

+ MIDI INPUT FILTERS are set according to mpc 3k manual and I paid attention to set everyting well to avoid overwhelming by midi info.

Ensoniq:

- MIDI BASE CHANNEL: 1
- TRANSMIT ON: INST CHAN
- BASECHAN PRESSURE: KEY
- MIDI IN MODE: MULTI
- MIDI CONTROLLERS: ON
- MIDI SYS-EX: OFF
- MIDI PROG CHANGE: OFF
- MIDI SONG SELECT: OFF
- MIDI XCTRL NUM: 2
- MULTI CONTROLLERS: OFF


A) Ensoniq would crash EVEN when nothing was sampled nor a single track was created. Basically last time it got stuck just one minute after I switched it on and didn't even push a single button. It happened just by itself. So it's not a matter of sequencing or high load of midi information at once.

B) The problem started without any reason. The connection was as it used to be for couple of months. Problem doesn't occure immediately. It's more like a caprice, it can happen anytime.

C) I had up to 5 instruments playing at once before and that caused no problem at all. Didn't use lot of modulation. A bit of mod wheel or pitch wheel sometimes.

D) The sequence doesn't have to be even recorded to cause ensoniq breakdown. As I mentioned before: last time I switched both samplers, went out to make some coffee, got back and ensoniq got stuck already. After restart I worked on it for maybe 15 minutes and it got stuck again. I manage to record a sequence. What's funny - ensoniq got stuck but the sound from it was playing while I keep the sequence going on mpc.

E) Yes, the instruments are assigned to separate channels and in a proper way I believe.

Today I didn't have time to play around with it, but starting weekend tommorow at last, so I'll get down to it and play with configuration. For now I unplugged one of the cables: MPC MIDI IN - ENSONIQ MIDI OUT. No problems with ensoniq, but I need both way connection to use it as I tend to.

I think I wrote everything what's essential, mate. Let me know if You see anything wrong in configuration or whatever comes to Your mind.

Thanks in advance, it means a lot to me.

In the MIDI Status for each of the 8 x EPS16+ Instruments, try setting Send Keys To: Local, so that each instrument plays internal EPS16+ sounds, and does not send any MIDI to the MIDI out port.

Well u seem to have all ure bases covered, I can't see anything wrong with the config. Except mayb u shouldn't be using key pressure on the eps unless u r actually using an inst that responds to it but I think that has nothing to do with ure pblm. I came across another thread on this forum thru the help for asronians thread where a guy was talking about an "all notes off" setting for an mpc60 I believe that was meant to solve a midi loop if there was one. Chk for it on ure mpc. But just so I understand u stated in "a)" that it just crashes even when idle, if it crashes like that and no midi cables are plugged in ..... I know u don't wanna hear this but mayb the eps needs a fixing. Otherwise as I stated earlier, now this won't work for stuff u already recorded but u could just have a midi clock sync with the mpc as the master, and record the eps stuff on the eps sequencer. Now I ve heard that both the asr and eps don't really like to follow clock all that much but I d still give it a try. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

If the Send Keys to: settings for the EPS+ instruments is set to Ext or Both, rather than Local, it will send MIDI from the EPS+ instruments to the MIDI out.

This would cause a MIDI loop.

Thanks for Your feedback and support.

At last I had some time to play with it and change settings and cables. Right now the sampler works fine. I've just plugged the cable again but to MIDI IN slot 1 in MPC. Previously it was connected via slot 2. Suprisingly thing which is so obvious works at the moment (been working on both of them for about 3 hours).

EDIT: Oh, yes: and I've changed ACTIVE TRACK RECEIVE CHANNEL: from ALL to 1 in mpc midi settings.

Problem solved for now but still don't understand what caused such a strange behaviour of ensoniq and no guarantees that something will not happen again. Maybe there's a kind of static on mpc's MIDI IN slot 2? Got no idea and. Still - it's pretty old maschine. It's enough to add that previous owner did something to SCSI port and when I once plugged in an external zip drive it blew power fuse right after switching the sampler on (NO! no hot swapping)...so You know. Sh*t's out of control.

Once again thanks!

I'm glad everything worked out for u man, yah there is a lot of testimony about some of the ensoniq stuff being pretty finicky, my greatest fear is to have something go wrong with mine, still worth it tho ensoniq eps and asr are the best samplers I've worked with I couldn't picture not having mine. If I can make a suggestion u may wanna track out ure stuff on a more regular basis as u never know what can happen , having a bunch of songs that r just midi data seems a bit risky in ure situation. At least if something fck s up at least u ll have something to fall back on, just a thought.